Mount Meron

In 1965, an 84,000-dunam nature reserve was declared. An additional 1,199 dunams were declared part of the reserve in 2005.{{cite web |title=List of National Parks and Nature Reserves |url=http://parks.org.il/sigalit/muchrazim.pdf |language=he |publisher=Israel Nature and Parks Authority |access-date=2010-09-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007095221/http://parks.org.il/sigalit/muchrazim.pdf |archive-date=2009-10-07 }} It is the highest reserve in Israel, at an altitude of 1,204 meters above sea level, and the largest reserve in the north of the country.{{cite web |title=Mount Meron reserve |url=http://www.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~30~~316365483~Card1~&ru=&SiteName=parks&Clt=&Bur=579080241 |language=he |publisher=Israel Nature and Parks Authority |access-date=2010-09-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928220217/http://www.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~30~~316365483~Card1~&ru=&SiteName=parks&Clt=&Bur=579080241 |archive-date=2011-09-28 }}

File:GraveOfRabbiSimeonBarYochaiOnLagBOmer.jpg

The village of Meron and the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai are on Mount Meron.{{cite journal |last1=Benayahu |first1=Meir |title=Devotion Practices of the Kabbalists of Safed in Meron |journal=Sefunot: Studies and Sources on the History of the Jewish Communities in the East / ספונות: מחקרים ומקורות לתולדות קהילות ישראל במזרח |pages=5–29 |jstor=23415184 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23415184}} Leading up to the anniversary of his death on Lag BaOmer, thousands of people{{cite news |last1=Liphshitz |first1=Cnaan |title=What is Israel’s Mount Meron and why were so many Orthodox Jews gathered there for the Lag b’Omer holiday? |url=https://www.jta.org/2021/04/30/israel/long-before-lag-bomer-stampede-mount-merons-history-has-been-a-mix-of-tragedy-and-euphoria |access-date=2 March 2024 |agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=April 30, 2021}} camp out along the slopes near the tomb, and on Lag B'Omer itself, hundreds of thousands make pilgrimages to celebrate the occasion.{{cite book| title=The Customs of the Land of Israel (מנהגי ארץ-ישראל)|last=Gelis |first=Jacob |publisher=Mossad Harav Kook |location=Jerusalem |date=1968 |page=139 (yod-gimel) |oclc=873519965}}

In Mount Meron Nature Reserve, there are some 45 hiking trails and routes for visitors to explore.{{cite web |title=Best Trails in Har Meron Nature Reserve |url=https://www.alltrails.com/parks/israel/northern-district-hazafon/har-meron-nature-reserve |website=AllTrails |publisher=AllTrails, LLC |access-date=2 March 2024}} At Mount Meron’s peak, there is a circular walking path, from which visitors can observe panoramic views and see rare vegetation.{{cite web |title=Mount Meron Nature Reserve |url=https://www.parks.org.il/reserve-park/%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%98%D7%91%D7%A2-%D7%94%D7%A8-%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9F/ |website=Nature and Parks Authority |access-date=2 March 2024}} The Peak Trail surrounds the summit of Mount Meron and includes three lookout points: the Tzfat viewpoint (overlooking the city of Tzfat and the eastern Upper Galilee), the Lebanon viewpoint (looking north into Lebanese territory) and the mountain viewpoint (overlooking the Druze village of Beit Jann, on Mount Peki'in and the western Galilee).{{cite web |title=תצפיות נוף |url=https://www.parks.org.il/reserve-park/%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%98%D7%91%D7%A2-%D7%94%D7%A8-%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9F/ |website=Nature and Parks Authority |access-date=2 March 2024}}

{{See also|Artists Quarter of Safed}}

Mount Meron is a subject in Israeli and Jewish art. Gideon Ofrat described how artists such as Isaac Frenkel, Moshe Castel and others would paint scenes described as fiery or serene, with a particular focus on sunsets over Mount Meron as seen from afar in the city of Safed where an artists' quarter sat.{{Cite book |last=Ofrat |first=Gideon |title=The Art and Artists of Safed |pages=89–90 |language=Hebrew}}

{{More citations needed section|date=March 2024}}

File:Mountmeron.JPG

Mount Meron has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa) with hot and dry summers and cool, wet and occasionally snowy winters. It snows briefly on Mount Meron a few times during the winter. There are 22 days a year with a temperature of 32 °C or higher and 28 days below freezing. Mount Meron has a relatively cool climate with significant precipitation;{{cite web |title=צומח |url=https://www.parks.org.il/reserve-park/%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%98%D7%91%D7%A2-%D7%94%D7%A8-%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9F/ |website=Nature and Parks Authority |access-date=2 March 2024}} and has the second highest precipitation in Israel after Mount Hermon.

Note: the chart is an average of 5 years so the record highs and lows may not be fully accurate.

{{Clear|left}}

{{Weather box

|location = Mount Meron (2002–2007)

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 17

|Feb record high C = 22

|Mar record high C = 18

|Apr record high C = 26

|May record high C = 32

|Jun record high C = 32

|Jul record high C = 33

|Aug record high C = 36

|Sep record high C = 33

|Oct record high C = 28

|Nov record high C = 26

|Dec record high C = 20

|year record high C = 36

|Jan high C = 8

|Feb high C = 9

|Mar high C = 11

|Apr high C = 18

|May high C = 23

|Jun high C = 27

|Jul high C = 29

|Aug high C = 30

|Sep high C = 27

|Oct high C = 26

|Nov high C = 20

|Dec high C = 12

|year high C = 20

|Jan mean C = 6

|Feb mean C = 6

|Mar mean C = 7

|Apr mean C = 13

|May mean C = 18

|Jun mean C = 21

|Jul mean C = 23

|Aug mean C = 24

|Sep mean C = 21

|Oct mean C = 20

|Nov mean C = 16

|Dec mean C = 9

|year mean C = 15

|Jan low C = 4

|Feb low C = 3

|Mar low C = 4

|Apr low C = 8

|May low C = 13

|Jun low C = 15

|Jul low C = 17

|Aug low C = 18

|Sep low C = 16

|Oct low C = 15

|Nov low C = 12

|Dec low C = 6

|year low C = 11

|Jan record low C = -2

|Feb record low C = -8

|Mar record low C = —

|Apr record low C = 3

|May record low C = 7

|Jun record low C = 11

|Jul record low C = 15

|Aug record low C = 13

|Sep record low C = 13

|Oct record low C = 11

|Nov record low C = 5

|Dec record low C = —

|year record low C = -8

|Jan precipitation mm = 70

|Feb precipitation mm = 190

|Mar precipitation mm = 270

|Apr precipitation mm = 60

|May precipitation mm = 80

|Jun precipitation mm = 180

|Jul precipitation mm = —

|Aug precipitation mm = —

|Sep precipitation mm = —

|Oct precipitation mm = —

|Nov precipitation mm = 20

|Dec precipitation mm = 240

|year precipitation mm = 1150

|Jan precipitation days = 5

|Feb precipitation days = 10

|Mar precipitation days = 8

|Apr precipitation days = 4

|May precipitation days = 5

|Jun precipitation days = 10

|Jul precipitation days = —

|Aug precipitation days = —

|Sep precipitation days = —

|Oct precipitation days = —

|Nov precipitation days = 1

|Dec precipitation days = 10

|year precipitation days = 56

|Jan humidity = 75

|Feb humidity = 72

|Mar humidity = 68

|Apr humidity = 55

|May humidity = 45

|Jun humidity = 45

|Jul humidity = 46

|Aug humidity = 49

|Sep humidity = 52

|Oct humidity = 50

|Nov humidity = 56

|Dec humidity = 72

|source 1 = {{cite web|title=Climate Information for Har Meron, Israel|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=35104&refer=&units=metric&cityname=Har-Meron-Israel|publisher=Weather Base}}

}}

On May 17, 1911, the collapse of an eight-meter high roof caused 40 wounded and seven fatalities.{{Cite web|url=http://www.zeevgalili.com/2017/05/21852|title=ל"ג בעומר 1911 – האסון שזעזע את ארץ ישראל|first=זאב|last=גלילי|date=May 9, 2017}} As the nearby hospital was closed, people from the surrounding area donated bedsheets and equipment to assist the wounded.{{Cite web|url=https://www.news1.co.il/Archive/0024-D-83241-00.html|title=לג בעומר, מירון 1911: הילולה שהפכה ליללה|website=www.news1.co.il}}

At about 12:50 a.m. on April 30, 2021, hundreds of Israelis were trampled as they were leaving the mountain, having attended a Lag BaOmer celebration that drew an estimated 100,000 people in spite of a 10,000-people limit imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 45 people died in the disaster, with hundreds injured.{{cite news|url= https://www.timesofisrael.com/dozens-said-hurt-as-stand-collapses-at-mass-lag-bomer-gathering-in-mount-meron/|title=44 crushed to death, over 150 hurt in stampede at mass Lag B'Omer event in Meron|publisher=Times of Israel|date=30 April 2021|access-date=2021-04-30}}

{{Commons category|Mount Meron}}

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{{Nature reserves of Israel}}

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Category:Highest points of countries

Category:Lag BaOmer

Category:Mountains of Israel

Category:Nature reserves in Israel

Meron